Chapter 134: Unexpected Attack
Year 678 of the Alliance Calendar, July, summer.
It had been a year and a half since Zhou Ming entered Qinghui Scientific Research University.
Already twenty-five years old, he had spent seven years in this world.
After entering Qinghui Scientific Research University, aside from refining the Snake Swarm Will, Zhou Ming had not secretly put aside the knowledge recorded in the Half-Beastman Class Advancement materials.
After all, the knowledge left behind by the most top-tier research teams was not something that could be fully mastered so easily.
As for the Dark Card Organization, Zhou Ming had not discovered any traces of them. Judging by the situation, the last cleanup of loose ends had been very successful.
In his daily life, the only time he had for leisure was spending it with Lei Yuan, this talented young woman.
By now, more and more people within the university had tacitly acknowledged Zhou Ming and Lei Yuan as a couple.
Although the two had offered explanations to outsiders, in other people’s eyes those were merely excuses, and in the end, the two could only give up trying to clarify.
This kind of life could be said to be both plain and fulfilling, making Zhou Ming feel as if he had returned to his previous life.
As night fell, another kind of vitality surged through the nights of Qinghui Base, with dazzling neon lights blooming in brilliant colors.
On the road outside the campus, Lei Yuan was strolling leisurely with Zhou Ming. Tonight, it was Lei Yuan who had taken the initiative to invite Zhou Ming out to wander the night market.
A year and a half of academy life had washed away the indifferent aura around Zhou Ming, his expression now revealing a gentle and scholarly temperament.
Beside him, Lei Yuan dressed simply, her hair tied in a ponytail, giving off a clean and elegant air.
Seen from afar, they indeed looked quite like a well-matched couple.
“What's wrong, is there something going on?”
Lei Yuan, who had invited Zhou Ming out tonight, appeared unusually calm, with a trace of hesitation in her expression. Seeing this, Zhou Ming took the initiative to ask.
“My mentor recommended that I go to the Alliance Headquarters for an internship.”
Looking at the road beneath her feet, Lei Yuan slowly spoke of the arrangements her mentor had made for her.
“Your research succeeded? Going to the Alliance Headquarters is a great opportunity. Why do you look so down?”
After learning the reason, a hint of surprise appeared in Zhou Ming’s eyes.
Due to confidentiality reasons, Lei Yuan had not told Zhou Ming much about her research, but through their usual conversations, Zhou Ming had more or less understood the project she was working on.
Energy pulse long-distance communication technology, capable of ignoring complex electromagnetic environments to achieve long-distance real-time voice and video communication.
Although it required energy crystals as a power source, the communication methods were far superior to those currently in use.
Zhou Ming had not expected that the young girl before him could truly achieve this step. Just a few years ago, she had still been working part-time at a martial hall for living expenses.
Perhaps geniuses were simply existences that surpassed ordinary people.
“Zhou Ming, I want to know, know…”
After brewing her thoughts for a long time, Lei Yuan suddenly raised her head and looked at Zhou Ming, wanting to voice the question she had hidden in her heart for a long time.
However, just as Lei Yuan was about to speak, two faint sounds rang beside Zhou Ming’s ears.
Sensing danger, Zhou Ming immediately wrapped his arms around Lei Yuan and dodged.
“Anesthetic needles.”
When Zhou Ming saw two anesthetic needles embedded in the ground where they had been standing moments ago, he immediately took out a Blood Hunter Type-1 Handgun from his Spatial Ring.
In the next instant, Zhou Ming’s temperament changed dramatically, a fierce, killing aura surging forth.
“Brother Zhou, what happened?”
Lei Yuan, being held in Zhou Ming’s arms for the first time, had yet to react. She only felt her cheeks heating up.
Zhou Ming ignored Lei Yuan, because on both sides of the road, well-equipped squads were closing in on them.
Only then did he realize the abnormal situation of there being no vehicles passing through the street.
“Bang, bang…”
Zhou Ming did not care that he was currently inside Qinghui Base and directly opened fire at the opponents.
Two bullets struck the same spot. Even if the opponent was wearing protective gear, they collapsed on the spot, losing combat capability.
The opponents were equally decisive and immediately returned fire, but their target was only Zhou Ming.
Silver Scale appeared, wrapping around Zhou Ming and Lei Yuan in a protective coil.
“Brother Zhou, this is…”
Only now did Lei Yuan react to the lightning-fast exchange.
“Their target should be you. Someone leaked your research results.”
“Then what should we do?”
Lei Yuan instantly panicked. This kind of situation had been mentioned many times by her mentor—captured researchers almost always lost their freedom for life.
It was precisely because of this that the university maintained extreme confidentiality over research progress.
After all, within the Alliance there were countless research and experimental projects. It was impossible to kidnap every researcher; action would only be taken once a project succeeded.
And this period of time happened to be when the Alliance had not yet arranged security, because only researchers with proven value were worth the cost of Alliance protection.
As for how to measure a researcher’s value, it depended on whether they had produced precious results.
“I’ll have Silver Scale protect you. I’ll deal with these people.”
After briefly comforting Lei Yuan, Zhou Ming immediately detached himself from Silver Scale’s coils.
“Brother Zhou, they should have set up soundproof barrier devices.”
As Silver Scale completely enveloped Lei Yuan, she seemed to recall something and immediately reminded Zhou Ming not to hold back.
“Soundproof barrier devices? That suits me perfectly.”
Zhou Ming hugged the ground to evade bullets. Upon hearing Lei Yuan’s reminder, he instead revealed a faint smile.
In the distance, the armed squad that had come to capture Lei Yuan ignored Silver Scale protecting the target and continued firing at Zhou Ming.
“Deal with the Beast Tamer. The Beast Tamer’s beast can be ignored for now.”
Seeing Silver Scale coiled in place protecting the target, the squad leader immediately ordered his subordinates to eliminate Zhou Ming.
As long as the protector beside the target was killed, the Beast Tamer’s phantasmal beast would naturally die from Spiritual Seed backlash, and there would be no need to worry about accidentally injuring the mission target.
However, the armed squad before him had clearly underestimated Zhou Ming’s strength. After evading their gunfire, Zhou Ming immediately counterattacked.
Dual-wielding guns, his shots never missed, and in the blink of an eye he had taken down three people.
“Gunfighter, use phantasmal beasts.”
Soundproof barrier devices could only block sound transmission. Using phantasmal beasts might cause other disturbances, so the armed squad kidnapping Lei Yuan had not summoned their phantasmal beasts immediately.
In the next moment, Violent Lion, Diamond Ape, Iron-armored Python, and Armored Bull—phantasmal beasts capable of resisting ordinary firearms and excelling in frontal combat—were summoned.
Using phantasmal beasts as mobile fortresses, they rapidly advanced toward Zhou Ming’s hiding position.
What greeted them, however, was thunderous roaring.
“Boom, boom, boom…”
Relying on the terrifying physique brought by the Snake King Body martial way, Zhou Ming used the Thunder Type-2 Revolver three times in a short span.
Among low-tier Ferocious Beasts, there might be those capable of withstanding Thunder Type-2 Revolver bullets, but they were definitely not the few common phantasmal beasts before him.
The ten-man squad that had surrounded Zhou Ming and Lei Yuan was reduced to only three within less than a minute, and this was still Zhou Ming relying solely on his own strength.
Seeing the mission fail, the opponents were extremely decisive and immediately chose to abandon the operation.
Just as Zhou Ming was about to pursue them, police lights began flashing in the distance.
Seeing this, Zhou Ming immediately removed his Spatial Ring and had an ordinary Ironthread Snake swallow it, then came to Silver Scale’s side.
He recalled Silver Scale that was protecting Lei Yuan back into the Beast Taming Space. Before Lei Yuan could react, he had his own Ironthread Snake coil around the arm inside her sleeve.
“Lei Yuan, don’t worry about the Ironthread Snake harming you. Whether this one lives or dies, you must personally hand it over to me in the end.”
“Understood?”
“Brother Zhou, rest assured.”
Seeing the flashing alarm lights in the distance, Lei Yuan also reacted. Given her status, she did not need to worry about being investigated.
Hearing Lei Yuan’s affirmative response, Zhou Ming believed she would not disappoint him.
Placing the firearms in his hands onto the ground, he waited very obediently for the Public Security Bureau to arrive, without the slightest intention of fleeing.
The transcendent forces of Qinghui Base were not something Qinshan Base could be compared to.